​Visas & Citizenship

Professional advice and application assistance.

Please note: Australian visa application charges increased by 5.4% for most visas on July 1, 2019.

Expert Advice, Application Assistance.

Do you need help with your Australian visa application? In many cases professional assistance is recommended to ensure your application is lodged complete, that you meet the requirements for visa grant, and that all relevant medical and character checks have been completed. Visa refusals or cancellations can affect your future travel to Australia. We are Registered Migration Agents with a proven track record of successful visa outcomes. Contact us today for assistance with the following visas:

Student visas

Partner visas

Child visas

Visitor visas

Graduate visas

Visa appeals

Visa cancellations

Australian Citizenship - General Options.

Citizenship by ConferralWhilst there are many exceptions, the general requirements are that a person be an Australian permanent resident and have been living in Australia for the past 4 years. There are limits on the amount of time you can have been outside Australia during this 4-year period. There are additional options under Citizenship by Conferral for PNG nationals. Please see the section below for more information.

Citizenship by DescentThis option is available to those who were born outside Australia to an Australian citizen parent. There is no requirement that you live in Australia to apply. Note: the definition of Australia is as it exists today, not as Australia existed at the time the person was born.

Citizenship by ResumptionFormer Australian citizens may apply to resume their former citizenship. This option is not available to PNG nationals who automatically became PNG citizens upon Independence Day. This option may however be available to PNG citizens who became citizens of PNG by formally renouncing their Australian citizenship after Independence Day. See below for more information.

Applying for Evidence of Australian CitizenshipIn some cases, a person may still be an Australian citizen, despite having acquired the citizenship of another country. In some instances, a person may never have lost their Australian citizenship, and mistakenly assumed they were the citizen of another country (even if you hold a passport of another country, this may not make you a citizen of that country). If you think you may still be an Australian citizen you can apply for evidence of this citizenship.

New Zealand CitizensCitizens of New Zealand may also be able to access Australian citizenship depending on how long they have been living in Australia, and whether they were in Australia on a particular date. NZ citizens are encouraged to contact us to see how we can help you, and also read the information on our Resident Return Visa page to see if you are eligible for permanent residence: the first step towards Australian citizenship for many.

Australian Citizenship for Papua New Guinea Nationals.

Papua New Guinea (PNG) nationals may have additional pathways to Australian citizenship due to the history between the two countries.

Until 1975 Papua was a territory of Australia and Papuans held a form of Australian citizenship (although they still required a permit to travel to mainland Australia). New Guinea was a United Nations Trust Territory administered by Australia and indigenous New Guineans were classed as 'Australian Protected Persons', or APPs. On Independence Day (16-September 1975) both Papua and New Guinea were united under the Constitution of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea. On this date most Papuans lost their former Australian citizenship when they became, by operation of the PNG constitution, citizens of Papua New Guinea automatically. However some may have retained their Australian citizenship unknowingly, or voluntarily relinquished it at a later date. These people and their children may now be able to access Australian citizenship as explained below.

Right of Australian Residence on Independence DayThose who had a right of residence in mainland Australia upon Independence Day, or who were naturalised Australian citizens, did not automatically become citizens of the newly established Independent State of Papua New Guinea upon Independence Day. These people may have subsequently relinquished their Australian citizenship (usually done within 2 months after Independence) and become citizens of PNG. If you voluntarily relinquished your Australian citizenship by making a Declaration of Loyalty to PNG after Independence Day, you may be able to apply to resume your former Australian citizenship. Your children may also be able to apply for Australian citizenship by conferral.

Children of parents who formally relinquished their former Australian citizenship are encouraged to contact us for advice on your Australian citizenship eligibility and options.

Resuming your former Australian CitizenshipIf you had a right of residence on the Australian mainland prior to Independence Day, and formally and voluntarily relinquished this right by making a Declaration of Loyalty to Papua New Guinea (usually done via Form FR&T 80), you may apply to resume your former Australian citizenship. Please contact us to discuss.

Papuans born to Australian citizens before 1975If you were born in Papua prior to 1975, and a parent of yours was born in Australia (as it is known today), you may be eligible for Australian citizenship. Please contact us to discuss further.

Are you still an Australian Citizen?Those who had a right of residence in Australia or were naturalised Australian citizens at the time of PNG's Independence did not automatically become citizens of the newly established Independent State of Papua New Guinea on Independence Day. These people were required, within a given time period, to relinquish their Australian citizenship to become citizens of PNG. If you had a right of residence in Australia and never formally made a Declaration of Loyalty to PNG, you may still be an Australian citizen. You may therefore apply for evidence of your Australian citizenship, and have all the rights and benefits that are afforded to any Australian citizen.

Eligibility for Australian citizenship for Papua New Guinea nationals is highly complex due to the interplay between Australian and PNG law. It is strongly advised you ﻿talk with a professional﻿ to confirm your eligibility and whether or not you should apply.

If you are interested in reading more on the subject we suggest reading 'Australian Citizenship and the Independence of Papua New Guinea' by Peter McDermott, published in the UNSW Law Journal: ﻿﻿﻿click here to read﻿﻿﻿.

Dual Citizenship.

Each country has its own regulations that apply towards holding dual citizenship. Australia permits its citizens to hold dual citizenship; other countries may not. You may need to apply to the other country to hold dual citizenship, and there may be implications on your rights to own property and vote in federal elections. Anyone considering applying for Australian citizenship is advised to seek independent, legal advice from the other country in relation to the requirements around holding dual citizenship, and the effects it may have on their current citizenship status.

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What our customers have to say

﻿﻿"Rohan helped me and my family with our Student Visa applications. He was very helpful, responsive, available and his prices were very reasonable. He made our life a whole lot easier and I'd be happy to recommend him to anyone who needs visa assistance."﻿﻿

"I must say thank you very much for the great help. It was a great experience to be working with you in order to get things prepared for me quickly and efficiently, greatly appreciated."